Why Sales Leaders Must Focus on Beliefs to Transform Sales Behavior

I just began work with a new client whose baseline call recordings showed their talk ratios on initial sales calls with buyers were:

• Sales team 90%
• Buyers 10%

The Sales VP reported that his initial use of a Mutual Agenda led to a conversation in which the buyer willingly opened up and shared their needs. The talk ratio was easily reversed.

• Sales team 30%
• Buyers 70%

The SE on the call felt they were lucky in this case because the buyer was willing to be more open than most.

The SE’s comments highlight:

• We create our own reality.
• We are all using a system today, and it’s perfectly designed to create the outcomes we get today.
• When we use a different approach, we get a different response.
• Our beliefs, based on our prior experience, are so strong we don’t see what’s right in front of us.
• Our egos support inaccurate beliefs. We’d rather think buyers won’t open up, than think we are the problem.

Sustained focus is required to transform a person’s mental map. Once you do, however, their behavior will change automatically, whether you are there to observe or not.

If you want to change the beliefs and actions of your team, consider reading Developing Your Sales Team, and learn how to implement the Sales Star Coaching Model.